A waste compactor is a hydraulically operated device which compresses waste in order to minimize the disposal costs thereof. Usually, a compactor has a container in which the waste is compacted and has a movable ram for transferring waste from a charge box into the container and for then compressing the waste therein. The charge box is usually at one end of the container and a door is at the opposite end and through which the compacted waste is removed when the container is full. Conventional operating procedure is to disconnect the compactor/container from the hydraulic unit and to haul the filled compactor/container to a refuse collection center where the container is emptied.
The waste container unit normally is transported by truck and the like between the waste receiving center and the compactor operating site. This transportation requires that the container and its related assemblies comply with applicable state and federal statutes and regulations with regard to highway transportation, among others. For example, there are regulations which control the width of a body transported on the highway by a vehicle.
A bustle gate is a door which is pivotally secured to the container to increase the amount of waste and the density of waste in the container. A bustle gate closes the waste-emptying opening of the container. The bustle gate has an arcuate portion facing into the container which causes the waste to be redirected during the compactor operation. The redirection is such that the waste is changed from flowing to the gate to flowing away from the gate. This redirection is effectuated by means of arcuate plates and the desirable benefit is that the density of the waste increased, thereby itating less frequent dumping, and the amount of waste is correspondingly increased.
Bustle gates have been used in the past on compactors. Typically, the gate has been pivotally connected along a top edge of the container and has been pivoted by means of a hydraulic mechanism. Such mechanisms can be complicated, necessitating a power supply and the like, and they also unnecessarily increase the height of the container and thereby limit passage under bridges and the like.
The compactor frequently contains a quantity of fluid waste requiring that the bustle gate be sealingly engaged with the container to prevent seepage of the waste. A typical side pivot assembly, such as provided by an hinge, has the undesirable effect of destroying the resilient rubber seal upon repeated operation of the gate. This is because the bustle gate has a rather substantial depth, as compared with a typicaI door, with the result that the resilient seal is progressively pushed from the hinge side to the latch side as the gate is pivoted into the closed position, with the result that the seal frequently tears. Such tearing may also occur with a conventional flat door.
In view of the above, there is a need for a bustle gate pivot mechanism which does not substantially increase the dimensions of the container. Furthermore, such a pivot mechanism should avoid the need for hydraulically operated mechanisms. Lastly, a good pivot mechanism should assure that the resilient seal is not torn upon repeated use of the gate. The disclosed invention meets these requirements by providing a pivot mechanism employing dual pivots for pivoting the gate on a first axis and then on a second parallel axis.